So I was searching for a replacement touchscreen for a client's laptop and recalled that I had similarly not seen much from 3d displays or virtual reality companies of late. No new hardware, no games that percolated up into the public awareness (Resident Evil 7 was nearly two years ago at this point, stereoscopic games were never amazingly popular but seemed to fall off a cliff after 2012), no real buzz in any conventions or events, if I look today there are still some gaming focused vendors that list VR fairly prominently but I have to go out of my way to find 3d screens and films and so forth. Both of those technologies have been seen as fads in the past; things that rise up, only for the market, current technology or something similar to smack them back down. In this case 2012 saw a massively successful crowdfunding effort for the Oculus Rift, a couple of years later Facebook of all people purchased the company for some 2 billion, a month or two back though the second iteration of the device was cancelled, and nobody mentioned whatever the big tech company equivalent of creative differences is which leads one to wonder if it is more that it is not seen as a viable project any more. Throughout it all many other big tech firms released hardware and attached industry luminaries to it and have similarly gone somewhat quiet.

Ordinarily for a thread like this we might have a look at possible stats and some reasoning for things, however a discussion of the mindshare the likes of virtual reality and 3d displays occupy at present is what we shall seek to find and contemplate here.

While reasons are not going to be delved too deeply into did the rush to include DRM and proprietary connectors/software/features cause you concern? Did any content find itself massively improved by it? Did you invest into any VR or 3d setups, only for them to gather dust? Did you get the motion sickness some experience or were you spared that (or selectively spared that)? There are all sorts of cool things (6:45 if you want to skip) researchers are doing so is such tech likely to remain that? Is it just that it was an expensive peripheral that not everybody had? If it has failed again do you expect to see it back sooner than the usual 20 year cycle as tech just needs to get that little bit better?

This is part of series on GBAtemp where we have some discussion of aspects of the game industry, game design and related topics. Previously we discussed the last game skill you unlearned.

Spoiler: earlier editions

The game you invested the most money in, times where people said gameplay styles would not work for a platform, the value of online play, emulation vs hardware, a favoured game style that might have become less common in recent times, skills one might have learned or honed because of a game, games on the PS4 and Xbone that will stand the test of time, games that got better after launch, cancelled games and shuttered devs, and story canon in games.

You are then invited to talk some about the current state of VR as well as stereoscopic 3d in games.

 

[Kraken_X]

I have two 3D TVs: one that's 1080p from when 3D was mainstream, and one of the only ones ever made that is also 4k and HDR. I really like 3D, and Citra, PCSX2, and Dolphin all have support for 3D, so I can play old console games in 3D. These emulators display side-by-side and let the TV convert to 3D, so even 4k is supported. Support for PC games is terrible though. Very few games support it nativly, and the ones that don't rely on NVIDIA's $200 dongle, which limits output to 720p for some reason. There might be something generic that does the side-by-side without NVIDIA's DRM, but I haven't found it.

My local movie theater decided to stop showing 3D movies a while ago. I complained to the manager and explained that if I'm paying $40+ for two tickets, it better match the quality I have at home. Now I just wait 6 months for the 3D Bluray. They are getting more expensive and hard to find though. Eventually, they probably won't be available at all. It doesn't help that most movies that are "3D" are mediocre 2D->3D translations that aren't impressive. In most cases, it isn't worth the hassle of wearing the glasses, but for some it's a whole different experience.

I also have a Vive. It's cool, but I don't use it much. After a hard day at work, I generally don't want to jump around. The quality is also much worse than the TV since it's an original Vive. The setup is annoying too since I have to clean up a large area to use it and frequently need to readjust the lighthouses. I'm always getting tangled in the wires too. I do hope that VR takes off, but until there is an option that is wireless, 4k and doesn't offer Mark Zuckerburg a live video stream into my house, I don't expect I'll use it much. I haven't played any of the VR games released this year besides Fallout 4, so even people who have the setup aren't engaging.

 

[YetoJesse]

I think it's a Quality x Pricing issue.
3D and VR are shown to be quite immersive, yet you still can't walk around with you own two legs in a world with super powers..

Might sounds stupid, but there was a period where there were quite a lot of anime's and manga's that did the neuro-gaming concept.

but still... you know....
VR (and 3D, yet imho 3D is just fucking up human vision...) are not quite on that quality and pricing level.
Not just talking about the fact that a good VR (and I'm talking about a VR that's close to handling it now, or so people say), costs quite a bit of money on its own.
Take in mind the VideoCard you are required to have. and in all honesty, there's a reason for the resolution upgrades...

It'll probably take atleast 4k textures with 4k visuals. refresh-rate will have to be pushed to the 120fps minimum, even if it's just for rendering strands of hair flowing in the wind.
just imagine that pricing. Now all that's left is letting me move and feel like I'm moving without having me to actually move.

And it might be a lot, but to be fair, I think a lot of people invision this as true VR gaming.
as long as that isn't affordable on a private basis, I don't think it'll be such a giant succes, but more of a niche thing.

Also, forcing VR exclusive sequels isn't 'The Way'.

That said, anything worth the evolution of technology and gaming has my attention.
I just wish there was a game where I could use these handsigns and actually create a giant fireball to kill something

 

[radicalwookie]

Have a look around to see if there are any "gaming bars" or similar near you. Such places will often have a setup there you can rent for a while, possibly even the really fancy stuff. Rent an hour or so at one and you can say you have. I have seen them in lots of places in the UK, and a few options in Washington state a few months back (did not travel far this last time so no idea about "nowhere, middle of" somewhere in the "does not touch water or Canada" places).

Love the suggestion mate but where I live there is like 1 bar in the freaking town. And no it's not a gaming bar, it's more of a get-molested-or-robbed type of a bar

 

[Ryccardo]

As I suspect a two-digit percentage of its owners also do, the only 3D product I own is a 3DS...

Most 3D games I do indeed find enjoyable in 3D (in fact, I find Mario 3D Land almost unplayable without), and my favorites are New Leaf and Xenoblade; however, it's clear that a non-negligible number of games didn't even try, while some tried and failed (those, though, I blame on Game Freak's continued exhibits of incompetence in programming and quality control, while at the same time driving the entertainment value of their famous series into the ground)

The 3DS also holds the questionable record of being the best selling 3D camera: if more attention had been paid on that point (better dynamic range and noise, instead of remaining DSi compatible; how about the shutter sound which is not mandatory in 95% of the countries the console is officially sold in?) I bet it would have attracted significant more mainstream success...

 

[smf]

A TV is a considerably cheaper purchase than a car

That isn't always true and it's not relevant. Very few people will replace either just because a new model has come out.

Smartphones are in the same ballpark like a TV and people are happy to throw out their old smartphone every 1-2 years.

The mobile operators sell the idea that everyone changes their phones every year or two sp they can lend you the money to buy one at a huge interest rate. It's fine if that is what you want, but don't fall into conformity bias and think that it's a good idea.

I keep phones for as long as they last, I don't think I'm unique as the smartphone industry is now in decline. Phones don't last as long as tv's though.

 

[|<roni&g]

It’s irritating to me when people say “I don’t like wearing the 3D glasses”

I think that’s just a stupid statement since that is the only way at this time to see true 3D.
I’m sad to see that 3D videos and TVs have disappeared, I rarely used the 3D feature but if I was to watch toy story for example, I’d want to see it at home in 3D

 

[thorasgar]

FYI: With easily obtainable referral codes on reddit a new Rift is available for $312 delivered/no sales tax in the US direct from Oculus. $12 more than a Switch, of course you need a decent PC but you don’t need a 1080ti unless you are going for the big games, a 980 or 390x level card will do for most of the games.

This price point made me jump on it.

One area that will really help it take off is fitness. Excercise can be really boring, but I am really looking forward to some quick 15 sessions of Beat Saber.

 

[the_randomizer]

I fail to see the appeal for either one.

 

[Localhorst86]

Very few people will replace either just because a new model has come out.

I can not agree to this in general. I've seen people regularly aroundhere driving new cars, simply because they lease them for 4 years, then get a new one. They don't drive it until it breaks anymore but only untill the leasing contract runs out and they can get a new one. Yes, they don't own these cars, but they can be seen with them. The reason this is not happening with TVs is because a TV is not as big of a status symbol as a car or a smartphone that you are seen with. But the point is - and I might simply not have made this clear, that's on me: A lot of people (over here) were in for a new TV when 3D was the hype, almost every TV had it. It was when I switched from a CRT to an HDTV. And a lot of TVs had it. And most people still have their 3D TVs. But customers didn't really care for the feature. It was "nice to have" but only a gimmick they never used.

If it was an technology to stay, TVs nowadays would still have 3D, either passive or active. But they don't - not because people don't buy new TVs or the technology wasn't ready but because the consumer simply didn't care for it at all. it was a fad that has gone by. It sold a few bluray players and discs and now it's gone.

I keep phones for as long as they last, I don't think I'm unique as the smartphone industry is now in decline. Phones don't last as long as tv's though.

That's perfectly fine, I know lots of people who are just as reasonable. I myself use mine as long as they last too, but since I am going for the midrange phones (less than 200€) they are usually done for after a maximum of two years. But a lot of people want the latest and greatest and it has to be the new Galaxy S10++UHDMega and it always baffles me how many people sell their 1 year old phone just to get the latest itteration of whatever they currently use.

Maybe we're just not as big of consumers as others.

either way. What was the question?

 

[D34DL1N3R]

Sold the PSVR bundle I won from Taco Bell because the majority of "games" just felt like tech demos to me. That and the terrible camera drifting. I couldn't deal with the drifting.

 

[KiiWii]

@FAST6191 the irony of you posting this topic is I was inspired to get littlstar NO PSN 5.05 working on PSVR and quite comfortably watched a 3D copy of The Nightmare Before Christmas

 

[burial]

Yes and they always will....

 

[Deleted User]

Imo the biggest thing hindering VR currently is the required "tether", them not being as friendly for us that need glasses(uncomfortable) and the fact that you need an above average PC to get an enjoyable experience

Yes there's PSVR which is a step in the right direction but that only solves 1/3 points.

As for 3D..unless I'm just a weirdo I still have yet to experience 3D that doesn't cause motion sickness. So there's that

 

[Xzi]

Actually VR use just saw a huge jump on Steam after Black Friday. Samsung Odyssey+ HMDs were only $300. In terms of new hardware, Pimax is just starting to ship their 200 degree FoV headsets, and there have been pictures floating around the net for Valve's prototype HMD as well.

3D is garbage because it's not really 3D. You can't walk around images and the images have no depth to them. It's just one flat image popping out from another flat image. Not remotely in the same league as VR.

 

[smf]

I can not agree to this in general. I've seen people regularly aroundhere driving new cars, simply because they lease them for 4 years, then get a new one.

Without the minority of people wasting money leasing cars there wouldn't be cheap cars for the rest of us.

I'm not sure I'd buy a second hand tv

 

[tbb043]

VR will always fail so long as you have to put goofy shit on your face. Forget "trying" it and all the germs spreading that entails (particularly at this time of year) or the smelly disinfectant sprays too close to you in a store display, they're just uncomfortable and awkward. Get them from headsets to something more the size of glasses and you might get people to use it.

3d, meh, other than 3ds just another cyclical fad that Hollywood had a hard on for to try and squeeze out higher prices at the theater without actually "raising the price" just adding an extra fee.

 

[Foxi4]

With cheap sets like the PSVR the barrier for entry has never been lower and it's reflected in sales figures. I think Rift and Vive are doing this wrong - it's nice to have a premium headset, but dedicating a room as a VR space is not something people want to do. They should aim a little lower and slash prices, just like Sony did. As for 3D screens, they went the way of the dodo bird and I'm not too bothered about that, the tech was gimmicky anyways.

 

[nando]

how about them curved televisions?

 

[Xzi]

With cheap sets like the PSVR the barrier for entry has never been lower and it's reflected in sales figures. I think Rift and Vive are doing this wrong - it's nice to have a premium headset, but dedicating a room as a VR space is not something people want to do. They should aim a little lower and slash prices, just like Sony did. As for 3D screens, they went the way of the dodo bird and I'm not too bothered about that, the tech was gimmicky anyways.

Low cost of entry is fine, but I have to disagree on room-scale. VR HMDs aren't a simple replacement for your monitor and shouldn't be treated as such. You lose out on a lot of the appeal of VR by sitting still faced forward with a standard controller in hand. At that point you really might as well have a 3D TV instead.

I realize not everybody has the space for full room-scale play, but 360 degree tracked standing play still needs to be a standard feature. That's the one area that PSVR fails hard in.

 

[Foxi4]

Low cost of entry is fine, but I have to disagree on room-scale. VR HMDs aren't a simple replacement for your monitor and shouldn't be treated as such. You lose out on a lot of the appeal of VR by sitting still faced forward with a standard controller in hand. At that point you really might as well have a 3D TV instead.

I realize not everybody has the space for full room-scale play, but 360 degree tracked standing play still needs to be a standard feature. That's the one area that PSVR fails hard in.

You have to take step 1 before you take step 6. First you need to get a headset in the living room, then you can expect people to buy upgrades and transform their house. Right now they're not asking people to give it a try, they're asking them to lunge off a cliff in hopes of content coming later. With PSVR I can just play on my couch, I don't need a dozen satellites, special controllers or any other assorted nonsense, that's a good point of entry. Vive and Rift setups aren't, they're prohibitively expensive on top of inconvenient. Budget version of the Rift and Vive would do wonders in spreading the trend, that breeds demand, and demand sells premium sets. Starting with the premium just limits the appeal, people already aren't sure if they'll like it or not, they're not going to drop half a grand and redesign their house for the vague promise of immersion.

Sitting down play is nothing like a 3D screen - you can actually look around, which is the entire point of VR. Standing up play is great, but it's expensive to implement and you're better off treating all the satellite sensors as add-ons, not a core part of the set.